LEWISTON – At the beginning of February, Maine Rep. Jared Golden announced the winners of the 2019 Congressional Art Competition for Maine’s 2nd District, for which Maine students were invited to submit their artwork for possible display in the halls of the U.S. Capitol.

The judges of the Congressional Art Competition chose Carolyn Adams, a student at Lewiston High School, as their top winner, calling her photo submission “Dizzy” “crisp, focused and beautifully composed.”

Adams said that while she is unsure if she is going to pursue photography outside of high school, she has enjoyed taking advantage of every opportunity that taking photographs has given her and looks forward to what comes next.

Name: Carolyn Adams

Age: 17

Hometown: Lewiston

Occupation: Student at Lewiston High School, Taber’s Golf in Auburn

How did you become interested in photography? Since eighth grade, I’ve been thoroughly in love with traveling and big cities. I came across unbelievable photos on Instagram one afternoon of people who went to the tops of buildings in New York City and let their feet hang over the edge as they captured the bustling city below. With more exploring, I came across street photography. I had no intention of falling upon any of this, but I quickly fell in love with finding perfect moments in everyday life.

Was this competition the first time you’ve submitted a photo you took to be judged? During my sophomore year, I entered three photos into the Scholastic Art and Writing Competition. I was happy with the photos I entered, but I don’t remember having high expectations for them. A few months later, I ended up winning two Honorable Mentions and a Silver Key art award. I never imagined my photos would win anything, and I was so proud to hear that they won. After receiving those first awards and growing my relationship with Mrs. Stocker, my incredible photography teacher, I realized that this is my purpose in high school, and this is the beginning of making a name for myself.

What was your reaction to learning you won the Congressional Art Competition? It was just a normal Friday morning for me until I turned around to see my mom and Principal Langlais holding a phone for me. They told me it was Congressman (Jared) Golden on the line. He called to let me know I had won the art award for my district. He also informed me that my photo, “Dizzy,” would be displayed at the U.S. Capitol for a year and I’d be able to go down and see it in June.

At first, I didn’t tell any of my friends because I didn’t really understand the immensity of the award. When students and teachers began coming up to me and congratulating me for winning, it became extremely validating to hear that people knew me for my work. It was also extremely validating to know my work was worthy of such a prestigious award.

Are there any other photographs you’ve taken that you’re particularly proud of? Being raised in Lewiston, something I’ve always been proud of is — and I know I can speak for all Lewiston High School students — the inconceivable diversity within the school. There are currently over 35 languages spoken within LHS. It’s such a privilege to, in a sense, have the world right at school with me. I’m in the process of finalizing my independent study project for photography, which highlights the growing diversity within Lewiston High School. Being able to get to know students from all different walks of life on a deeper level and use my photography to be a voice for their stories has continued to be a very humbling experience that I’ll carry with me for the rest of my life. With the help of Mrs. Stocker, I’ve been able to execute this piece in the most effective way. The project will be a permanent installation in Lewiston High School that will say, “This is who we are, and we’re proud.”

Is photography something that you could see yourself doing after high school, or is just a hobby at this point? What are you hoping to do after you graduate high school? An Australian proverb I’ve remembered for years reads, “We are all visitors to this time, this place. We are just passing through. Our purpose here is to observe, to learn, to grow, to love . . . and then we return home.”

I’m not sure if photography is something I’ll pursue after high school, but my goal moving forward is to learn and grow from others, to also help others learn and grow, and to take advantage of each experience and opportunity and use it to flourish. Mrs. Stocker has been a phenomenal mentor to me throughout high school, continuously showing support and guidance, whether it’s with photography, college or just life in general.

I encourage everyone to find their reason for coming to school every morning, and I truly believe if everyone was able to have this type of relationship with just one teacher, it would provide an incentive for them to come to school and have the desire to grow and succeed. I’m so blessed that I was able to find my reason.

Can you talk a little bit about how you got involved with the Lewiston Youth Advisory Council? What do you like about serving on that board? My mom was the one who brought the council to my attention at the end of my eighth-grade year. Initially, I had absolutely no interest in being part of the group. I ended up filling out the application and delivering it to city hall the day of the deadline. I received an interview and was eventually accepted into the council.

Being a member of the Lewiston Youth Advisory Council for three years now, the most rewarding part is being able to interact with the community in ways I wouldn’t be able to otherwise. Dot Perham-Whittier, the most dedicated adviser, has been a great advocate and supporter in all of the group’s visions. Being a part of the group really taught me to take every opportunity, even if I don’t think I’ll benefit from it. You never know what doors one opportunity or experience could potentially open. Actively advocating for myself is something I’ve been zealous about since the start of my high school career.

Besides photography, what do you like to do for fun, when you’re not busy with school or the Lewiston Youth Advisory Council? I’ve been taking dance classes for 13 years now and danced competitively for five years. I’ve been a part of two Nutcracker productions and taken classes in New York City at Broadway Dance Center. I absolutely love traveling as well. Last year, I was given the incredible opportunity to visit Italy for a week with the school’s Travel Club. Being 16 years old and traveling across the ocean without my parents did not intimidate me one bit. I was up for the adventure, and I gained so much independence from the experience.

More than anything, I love embracing the present. Life is so short and that’s precisely the reason I fell in love with photography. Photographs can be so incredibly powerful, and being able to capture small moments that most people would overlook and share those moments with the world is so rewarding. After all, “we’re all visitors to this time, this place. We are just passing through. Our purpose here is to observe, to learn, to grow, to love . . . and then we return home.”

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